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She had no idea what she’d been expecting: froeneral dilapidation of the café below, she’d half assumed Pepe had made her dress up as a joke, but she certainly hadn’t been expecting this

The party was being held in a loft conversion Except it was nothing like any loft she’d ever been in Extree and airy, simply decorated hat she would refer to as faux shabby chic, it th of the entire terrace

‘So do you own this loft too?’

He raised a brow

‘I know; a silly question But this place’ Her voice trailed off

‘A little different froround floor?’

‘Yes Exactly’

‘The café is a fixture in Montes other than have it fitted with a kitchen that wasn’t liable to catch fire at anyto be converted into a proper work and living space’

‘Is it a studio?’ There ht be so many people crammed into the space that she couldn’t see any art paraphernalia, but she’d recognise the smell of turps anywhere—with an artist for best friend, that was a given

‘Sì’ He nodded at a dilaes Ramirez’

‘I know him,’ she said, awed ‘Well, I know of him We’ve auctioned his work before’

‘He’s an old friend The loft was designed with him in mind’

As he spoke, Georges looked in their direction and spotted Pepe His little gang looked too and in the click of a finger two dozen pairs of eyes had widened and two dozen sets of lips had curled into ses and the pretty wo his hand, broke from the crowd and headed towards them

In a whirl of French and English, and some Italian and Spanish, Pepe presented her to people ere clearly his friends, introducing her simply as Cara with no further explanation Naed—well, eed All the while she stood there wishing the floor would open up and s her, whisk her away to so